Automatic tank gauge



March 22, 1927.

T. A. SERAPHIN AUTOMATIC TANK GAUGE Filed April '7, 1923 @MAMAN/ f 'tion of the gauge.

.Passau M 1927.

11N-1.1131) STATES Parent OFFICE? 'rnnormnus A. summit, or rnmnmnra, rmmvma.

l Aurorwrrc 'raux sauer.. l

applicati@ mea Aprn 7, 192s. smal 110.030.580.-

My invention relates to a 'gauge adapted for use in measuring the contents of tanks. Heretofore there has been no practical means forv accurately measuring the contents of tanks wherein a liquid under pressure is usedto deliver the liquid stored in the tank.

For example, there is in use today for the storage and distribution of motor gaso line a system wherein thegasoline is stored in an underground tank, water under pressure being admitted to force the gasoline through a meter for delivery to the tanksof automobiles. Such a system depends upon the difference in the speciiic gravity of gasoline and water, the gasoline floating on the water and being delivered by displacementwith water. The tank, in use, is always full,`

there being a zone'of gasoline above a zone of water, the relative depth ofthe zones being dependent upon the amountv of gasoline in the tank.

Heretofore there has been no practical way of readily determining the amountof gasoline in the tank to enable aV determination' of the amount required to replenish the tank with gasoline after a Aperiod of distribution.

Now it is the object of my invention to provide a gauge whereby the depths of the zones of gasoline and water may be automatically determined, thereby permittingA the amount of gasoline in the. tank. or the amount required to replenish the tank, to be readily and accurately computed.

Having now, 'in a general way, indicated` the nature, purpose and advantages of my invention, I will proceed to a detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof .with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a storage tank showinga gauge embodying my invention in use.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a gauge embodying my invention.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the lower por- The gauge comprises a tubular body a provided with a longitudinal opening b. adjacent the edges ofwhich are graduations asl shown in Fig. 3. The ends of the body are threaded-and about it, spaced from the ends, are secured stops c, c.

' Threaded on the lower end ot' the body is a housing d, provided with ports e. and supporting a valve seat f, upon which is -adapted to rest a valve g one end of the stem tank.

vwith which it is to be used.

h of which extends through the end ofthe housing. -Within the housing is' supported a packing. cup .z' upon whichrests packing materlal y, whlch bears against the lower c nd of ca'smg a, while a spring le is so positloned withm the housingthat one ofl its ends bears on the valve g and tends to retain it on-the seat f.` A spider 2,'carried by cup z', acts as -a guide for the upper end of the stem of valve g.

Screwed on the upper end of the 4casin 1s a housing Z provided with ports m :miiy carrying a flanged gland 3 which bears agamst a packmg cup z" in which is packing materlal An internally threaded hole is provided 1n the upper end of housing l into which 1s screwed a fitting n to which is secured a handle a. i

.The handle o is hollow and is provided Yw1th a vent 'v aiording a passage through the wall of the handle. The handle may be formed .from tubing. The interior of the handle 1s in open communication .with the interior of the bod of the gauge and serves topermlt air disp aced from the gauge, on theentry of liquid, to escape, through the vent lvor at the end of the handle if the-end a discharge for ,any liquid dischargedv by the displaced air and prevent such liquid from being discharged through the end of the handle into the 'face of one gauging a 4glass tube p is positioned within the casing a and packed'and held in position by .packing cups z' and 'i'.

l In practice, the length of the 'gauge from thelower end of housing d to the ports m in housing Z is made at leastequal to the maximum depth of liquid in the size tank The gauge is assembled by the housingk d, with the valve..sp`ring and packing cup, on the lower end of casing asnug up to the stop c. The glass tube p is first screwing.

then inserted in the'casing with its lower- 1 end resting on packing j. 'Cup z" and packing y" are-'then inserted in the top ofithe casing, and housing l containing gland 3 is screwed in place abovethem and screwed down until packing y" "is firmly pressed against the top of tube p. vThe lange of gland 3 rests in a seat in' `housing Z and the tubular portion of said gland bears upon the top of cup t. Thus. when 'housing l is ,screwed into place as described, the turning i movement under tween lthisl relativ pressure takes place `bee y thin tubular/end and cup l" and is prevented from being transmitted to the packing, whichl is allowed to compress against theend of the glass tube without uttng the tube under any torsional strain. e use of cup i eliminates all torsional strain from the glass tube and adds to the life of the tube by eliminating the tendency of the tube to crack under a slight jar, as occurs when the tube is under a torsional strain created by the use of the ordinary packing glands. The handle o is then attached to housing Z by screwing tting n to the housing.

Referring now to Figure 1: the tank g, buried in the ground, is provided with a filler pipe r, valved as at s, a delivery pipe t, through which gasoline for delivery to a customer passes via a meter, not shown, and a water inlet pipe u valved as at w and provided with a relief valve m. The Water pipe u is connected t'o any suitable source of Water pressure, as a water main.

If now it be desired to determine the quantity of gasoline in the tank q, in which it may oe observed by reference to Figure. 1 there is a zone of gasoline y and-a zone of water e, the water valve lw is shut oif and the relief valvew is opened. The gasoline and water then seek relative levels in the filler pipe r and water pipe'w and the valve s may be opened. The gauge is then inserted into the tank through the filler pipe until the valve stem h strikes the bottom of the' tank. The weight of the gauge causes valve g to open, the stem moving upwardly against the action of spring k and permitting the end of housing d to rest on the bottom of the tank, water then enters the gauge through ports e e and by valve g into the glass tube p in which it rises to the level of the water in the tank proper.

When the' gauge rests on the bottom of the tank, gasoline Hows into the tube p through ports fm. .inhousing Z and stands in the tube above 4the waterto a height equivalent to the height of the zone of gasoline in the tank proper.-

By virtue of the hollow handle o, air displaced by the entry of the water and of the gasoline is permitted to escape 4without the necessity of passing throughV the inlet for gasoline and hence does not interfere with the entry into the gauge of the gasoline.

l When the gasoline and water have ilowed into the gauge, which takes but a moment, the gauge is drawn out, the spring Is' acting` to close valve g as soon as the gauge islifted clear lof the'bottom of the tank, thusfpre- .venting the contents of the tube p from running out.

The contents of the tube p are in eiect a core from the body of liquids in thetankand on removal from the tank the zones of water .phere forthe escapel of air vfrom said casingf. no

and gasoline in the tube are the same as the zones in the tank and their depth may be read'v through the longitudinal lo nin b in casing a, enabling the amount o aso lne in the tank to be readily determine of the application filed by Serial No. 568,107.

A'Having now fully described my invention,

me June 14, 192,2,

what l claim and desire to protect .by Letthe gauge is inserted in a tank containing a plurality of liquids of di'erentspecific gravities, the liquids of diierent gravity will a enter said body at diii'erent points and will assume in the hollow body the same relationship as in the tank.L

2. A gauge for measuring the relative depths of the strata of liquids of dierent specific gravities in a tank, comprising a hollow body and provided with inletsl spaced at different levels and respectively for liquids of di'erent specific gravities whereby, when the gauge is inserted in a tank containing a plurality of liquids of dierent specific gravities, the liquids of dierent gravity will assume in the hollow body the same relationship as in the tank` and means to prevent the outiow of liquid from said hollow body, means, independent of said inlets, in communication with the atmosphere permitting the escape of air from said body.

3. A gauge for measuring the relative gauge for 'measuring the relativev` 7o This application is a continuation in part and provided with inlets spaced 8 Aof different specific gravities whereby, when depths of the strata of liquids of diierent -specific gravites in a tank. comprising a hollow body and provided with inlets adjacent opposite ends of the body for the entry of liquids of different gravities whereby, when the gauge is inserted ina tank containing liquids yof diierent speciiie gravities, the liquids of dierent gravity will assume in the hollowbody the same relationship as in the tank.

4. A Igauge for measuring the depths of nu provided with al passage communicating with the interior of the casing and with atmos- 5. A gauge for ascertaining the depths the strata of liquids of different specific ing bearing upon the end of the tube and a gravitiesv filling a tank, comprising a transgland seated in the housing and bearing parent tube,'a casing surrounding said tube, upon the packing cup. I

ported housings one secured to each emi of In testimony of which invention, I have 5 said casing, and means to prevent leakage hereunto set my hand, at Philadelphia, Pa.,

between 'the housings and the tube, sa1d this 28th day of March, 1923.

means consisting of a packing cup and packl THEOPHILUS A. SERAPHIN. 

